Weed-destroyer.



W. GUNNARSON.

WEED DESTROYER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY '1, 1914.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

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WALTZER GUNNARSON, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK.

WEED-DESTROYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24;, 1914:.

Application filed July 7, 1914. Serial No. 849,522.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTZ an GUNNARSON, acitizen of the United States, residing at New Rochelle, inthe county ofVVestchester and State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in VVeed-Destroy ers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention is an improved device for destroying weeds by injecting aliquid herbicide into the hearts of plants, the object of the inventionbeing to provide an improved device of this character which is veryreadily operated, is cheap and simple and by means of which a lawn maybe readily kept free from dandelions and other objectionable weeds andplants.

The invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangementof devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 isa vertical central sectionalview of a weed destroyer constructed in accordance with my invention.Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the nozzle. Fig. 3 is a detailelevation of the valve and its operating rod.

In accordance with my invention I provide a barrel 1 which may inpractice be made of a piece of pipe of suitable length and which isprovided at its upper end with a screw cap 2 and at its lower end with ascrew cap 3. The lower screw cap 3 has a leather Washer 4. A handle 5 isarranged above the upper end of the barrel and secured thereto by a pairof bails 6. A nozzle 7 is secured to the center of the lower cap, has aclosed pointed end 8 and also has, at a suitable distance above thepoint lateral openings 9 which communicate with its bore. A. fillingfunnel 10 is connected to the barrel, near its upper end and enables thebarrel to be readily filled with a suitable herbicide.

A valve 11 is arranged to operate in the lower end of the barrel and issecured on a rod 12 which passes through the center of the barrel andthrough the upper cap and the lower end of which operates in the bore ofthe nozzle and serves to prevent the nozzle from becoming clogged. Thisrod has a guide member 13 parallel therewith and which is arranged onthe outer side of the barrel and which operates in eyes or guideopenings 14 formed in bands 15 which are clamped around the barrel atpoints near its ends. At the lower end of the guide rod 13 is a tappetarm 16 which extends under the barrel and has an open loop 17 throughwhich the nozzle extends. The valve 11 is provided with a washer 18 atits lower end.

In the operation of my invention the valve norn'ially closes by its ownweight. The device is grasped by the handle and when .it is desired todestroy a weed or other plant the device is thrust downwardly to causethe nozzle to be inserted in the heart of the plant and as the nozzle isthus thrust downwardly the tappet arm 16 is engaged by the earth andhence as the barrel and nozzle continue to be forced downwardly thevalve is raised from its seat so that the liquid herbicide is caused toflow out through the openings 9 into the heart of the plant before thedevice is raised. The raising of the device causes the valve to closebyits own weight and stop any furtherflow of the herbicide. The effectof the latter is to kill the plant and without defacing the lawn.

It will be understood that my improved weed destroyer may be veryreadily and rapidly manipulated so that all the weeds on a lawn may bereadily killed in a short time and with little labor.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim The herein described weeddestroyer comprising a barrel having a nozzle at its lower end andadapted to be thrust into a plant, a valve in the barrel tocontrol thedischarge fluid therefrom, a rod arranged in the barrel and to which thevalve is connected, said rod extending downwardly into the bore of thenozzle to keep the latter clean, a guide rod mounted for longitudinalmovement on.

the barrel and connected to the valve rod, said guide rod having atappet element at its lower end, the said tappet element having a loopthrough which the nozzle extends.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VVALTZER GUNNARSON.

l/Vitnesses W. S. I'IITCI-ICOCK, WALLACE C. MARGRAF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patenta. Washington. D. 0.

